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posts of Profit or Trust: As I can interfere with the Views of no man, do not deny me, my Lord, all that is left, a little Praise, or the common Encouragement due, if not to my Genius, at least to my Industry.

Above all, your Lordship will be careful not to wrong my Moral Character with THOSE under whose Protection I live, and through whose Lenity alone I can live with Comfort. Your Lordship, I am confident, upon consideration, will think, you inadvertently went a little too far when you recommended to THEIR perusal, and strengthened by the weight of your Approbation, a Libel, mean in its reflections upon my poor figure, and scandalous in those on my Honour and Integrity: wherein I was represented as "an Enemy to Human Race, a Murderer of Reputations, and a Monster marked by God like Cain, deserving to wander accursed through the world."

A strange Picture of a Man, who had the good fortune to enjoy many friends, who will be always remembered as the first ornaments of their Age and Country; and no Enemies that ever contrived to be heard of, except Mr. John Dennis, and your Lordship: A Man, who never wrote a line in which the Religion or Government of his Country, the Royal Family, or their Ministry, were disrespectfully mentioned; the Animosity of any one Party gratify'd at the expence of another; or any Censure past, but upon known Vice, acknowledged Folly, or aggressing Impertinence. It is with infinite pleasure he finds,

The K. and Q..

that some Men, who seem ashamed and afraid of nothing else, are so very sensible of his Ridicule: And it is for that very reason he resolves (by the grace of God, and your Lordship's good leave)

That while he breathes, no rich or noble knave
Shall walk the world in credit to his grave.

This, he thinks, is rendering the best Service he can to the Public, and even to the good Government of his Country; and for this, at least, he may deserve some Countenance, even from the GREATEST PERSONS in it. Your Lordship knows oF WHOM I speak. Their NAMES I shall be as sorry, and as much ashamed to place near yours, on such an occasion, as I should be to see You, my Lord, placed so near their PERSONS, if you could ever make so ill an Use of their Ear1 as to asperse or misrepresent any innocent man.

This is all I shall ever ask of your Lordship, except your pardon for this tedious Letters. I have the honour to be, with equal Respect and Concern, My Lord,

"Close

Your truly devoted Servant,

A. POPE.

the ear of Eve." Ep. to Dr. Arbuthnot.

• The whole is so severe that we may say,

Impressit memorem dente labris notam.

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

Printed by J. F. Dove, St. John's Square.

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